Rome Hotel question

Did you try booking directly with the hotel or trying to find it on sites such as booking.com or www.venere.com? A lot of times you can get a better price. You can also use those two sites to find other hotels that will fit your needs.

Is there any reason you don't want to be near the termini? It's a good area to stay in, close to transportation links, shops, restaurants and sites. I stay there when on short visits and find it very convenient.

Also, there is not one single area in Rome that will get you close to all the sites. If you stay in the city center then the colosseum, Borghese gallery and Vatican will all be farther away than if you stayed by them. I would choose the hotel based on what you want to see and the amenities you need, not by the area it's in.

Donna

If you change your mind about Termini, have a look at the Hotel Diana. We found it very comfortable, terrific breakfast, roof top terrace and much less expensive than the €330 you are planning on spending.

Or try Hotel Aberdeen. It's walking distance from Termini, (if you don't have too much baggage, or grumpy kids) but well away from the hubbub. I don't know how much they charge for a quad, but we just booked an en suite double, with breakfast, for 68 euros a night. We stayed there a few years ago on a RS tour; it's nice, quiet, and convenient to many of the sights.

Families can really benefit from apartments. You can get two bedrooms for far less than the Euro 330 at the hotel. VRBO.com, Booking.com, Cross-pollinate.com are all good places to search. Look at Prati for a location: near the Vatican but well-connected by tram, bus and Metro. Not too far to walk to Piazza Navona, either.

Thanks for all the great replies!
I did email the hotel dirrectly and they told me the 330 Euro rate.

The reason we didn't want to be close to the termini is I thought that area was seedy. Perhaps that is just north of the termini??

I'd prefer a hotel to an apartment so we have a front desk available to ask any questions.
I'll look into hotel Aberdeen and Diana. We're not opposed to getting two double rooms - especially if it is less expensive than a quad.

Thanks again.

I'm sorry, but I've never spent 330 Euros for any room in any city I've ever stayed in. We stayed in a great B&B 1/2 hr. south of Rome for 70 Euros. There are rooms for all prices within the city.

When I have any questions about travel to Rome, see RonInRome.com. His website is the best there is about that city, and he covers accommodations at reasonable prices in detail.

When traveling through Tuscany and staying at an agritursimo, you'll need to rent a car. I'd suggest you take a 70 minute train ride from Rome Termini up to Orvieto, as the Hertz office is across the street (100 yards) across from the train depot. Orvieto is also a very popular "hilltown" that's worth seeing. You can catch the motorway from Orvieto, and it's about 90 minutes to Siena. You could return the car to the Florence Airport or one of the city rental offices as you go into Florence.

The question whether the Termini is seedy or not is more in the eye of the beholder. We have spent about three weeks total over the years in Rome and prefer the Termini area. I don't consider it seedy but maybe my standards are low. I like the area for the transit convenience. Two rooms will probably be about the same as a quad since hotel charge by the person and the room. 330 or about 80E/night/person is not bad for Rome especially for June. What you are looking for is a family room. That could be a bit cheaper than two doubles. However, few hotels have quad rooms so that can drive up the price. Do not book a couple and think you can slip your two sons in as you would in the US.

That would be too much for my wallet. I agree Termini station area is cheaper and in that area I prefer the area near the Viminale palace (south west of the station roughly). Some areas of Termini look seedy and there is definitely a lot of 'non European looking' migrants who like to congregate in that area. I'm not bothered by it (here in the SF Bay Area half the people look non European) but others are (especially the Italians). The area is safe however. And the area near the Viminale/Opera Theater even more so (The Viminale Palace is the Ministry of the Interior, which controls national law enforcement agencies, so you can imagine how many cameras are in that area).

My favorite area is Trastevere, very quaint and lively especially in the evening, although not in the centro storico, which is in the middle of everything, but costs much more.

You may want to check the site below. I've used it often with success. You can choose by area or by budget etc.
The centro storico area comprises the following: Spanish Steps, Pantheon, Trevi, Navona, Campo dei Fiori. That area is the most central, but if you can stay in one of the neighboring areas (including Trastevere, Quirinale, Prati) you will still be close. I'm not particularly fond of the Colosseum area, but that's another option. Just do some searches, check the exact location on the map so that you are not too far from the Centro Storico.

www.nycerome.com

Just commenting on Termini:
We stayed within a few blocks of the station last time and would happily do it again. It was really nice to be walking distance (with luggage) and it really isn't THAT bad. We don't stay right across the street but just a short walk away put us into an entirely decent area.

Sometimes I get the feeling that people who are freaked out (not saying that's you) about Rome's main train station haven't spent a lot of time in big cities or haven't traveled a lot in general. I've seen a lot of nervousness about having to deal with Centrale in Milan and S.M. Novella in Florence as well and we didn't have any problems with either of them.

You can try the Smeraldo or the Albergo del Senato. The Albergo Cesari and the Capo D'Africa are also nice hotels.

Donna

Thanks all for the add'l info!

I checked on some of the other hotels using the websites suggested and have concluded as Frank alluded to, 330 Euro for this location, time of year, quad room (almost equiv to 2 doubles), including breakfast is not too bad. The hotel also allows cancellation up to 7 days prior to arrival so I can continue to look for alternatives.

David - we plan to train to Orvieto then rent a car for Tuscany based on this website (probably an earlier post from you). Will return the car hopefully outside of Florence. Arranging the rental car and Florence hotel are my next tasks.

Thanks!

IMHO, the "seedy" area around Termini is only for a few blocks, to the southwest of Termini up to Via Farini/Via Napoleone III. Within walking distance for many of us (or a cheap cab ride) is the Monti neighborhood (roughly between Santa Maria Maggiore and the Forum) and it's become a trendy area to stay in.

Good luck.

I am , as well , a fan of the Termini location . It's odd that this canard about locations near rail stations ( Think , Munich , Vienna , Paris , among others ) receives particularly harsh and generally unwarranted views . I found Termini convenient , pleasant ,and interesting . A short walk to Santa Maria Maggiore , Santa Prassede , and other places , I felt perfectly safe and comfortable there . When I next return to Rome , that will be my choice for a hotel ,

Question for Dan - which agritourismo in Tuscany did you choose? (we're going in May and are looking for ideas...)

We have stayed in the apartment adjacent to and part of the Hotel Portoghesi. It offers the same hotel services and has an independent entrance . For a maximum of 4 people. We have stayed at the Portoghesi on 2 separate trips to oRme. It's about a 3 minute walk from the Pantheon and the Piazza Navona. , down narrow roads that are mostly pedestrian. And yes, breakfast is served on their roof terrace! All this, when I checked the apartment is 300 E a night.

benbernards - we are planning to stay at this agriturismo: www.igreppidisilli.it

It is in the Chianti area and was listed in Rick Steves 2015 Italy book.

You mentioned a bathtub. If a tub instead of a shower is important to you, then do confirm with the hotel, since you won't always get both.

Most of Rick's tour groups stay near Termini station and it's one of his recommended hotel neighborhoods because we consider it to provide a good balance of location, public transport, price, and safety.

I also can confirm that bathtubs are increasingly uncommon in Italy. Not just hotels, but even in houses nowadays people opt for shower only and several people I know are remodeling their older bathrooms and replacing the bathtub with a large fancy shower stall.

It might be a trend coming soon to America. I've noticed over the years that after a few years the Italian new home decor trends cross the Atlantic and become trendy in the US as well.

We always stay at a Rick Steves choice from years ago, Hotel Sileo. Only a block from the station, Hotel Sileo is a lovely place with marble everywhere. They used to have a contract for night conductors, but no longer. Now you get the room for the day and night both. Hotel Sileo is in a building with a number of other small hotels that occupy spaces on one or two floors each. Perfectly safe area. There's a restaurant on the main floor which stays open late, although we heard no noise, but it was nice having people sitting out on the street right where you go into your hotel. Felt perfectly safe.

Many families stay near Termini, at a cluster of very economical lodgings -- Hotel Mirage, Hotel Halifax, and Bed and Breakfast Caroline Suites, on Via Milazzo, on the Via Marsala side of Termini, north side. Reached by walking through the indoor hallway that runs alongside the Farmacia, where the big flashing Plus + sign is posted inside Termini.

They all serve a big delicious breakfast of juices, milk, cereals, caffe' to order, pastries, deli meats and cheeses, homemade toast (you make it), pound cake, fruits, nutella, jelly, and real butter!

Travelers from all over the world meet for breakfast.

Kind of like the area, very Cosmopolitan. Near the Hotel Mirage office on Via Milazzo, there is a Pakistani who makes really good pizza, the Mangrovia ristorante is there, Taverna Antica is a few doors down, across the street is a Pakistani kitchen, next to him is a small grocery store. I also like going to the Cinese ristorante, on the same block as the hotel office, at the end and left around the corner, and ordering their sizzling hotplate of fresh prawns! IL Mino ristorante is on Via Milazzo, on the corner starting the next block.

There are souvenir merchants on the corner of Via Marsala who are the first to greet you. The merchants all along the street are aware of who's new on the block, they are eager to accommodate you and help you feel at home. A very safe area for your family.

Look up each lodging on the web, and book directly with the Hotel Mirage office. You can send a query to their email, [email protected]. I always ask for the lowest price listed for a lodging, and usually get it or near it. They are very popular and busy, so talk to them now, some know English.
No matter what you pay, all lodgers are welcome to their breakfast table. The finest hospitality of legend I've seen. Good people.

B and B Caroline faces an indoor courtyard; Hotel mirage is on Via Marsala, across the street from Termini, a tad noisier, but I like to say I can keep an eye on Termini!

The area around termini for a few blocks in each direction is sleazy, but once you leave that area Roma changes. We found a great b&b on Via Viminale across the street from the Roma Opera House. it is called B&B Armenia All' Opera, which is highly rated on both venere.com and TripAdvisor. Armonio is a 10 or 15 minute walk from Termini on a nice, quiet area. We have stayed there many, many times and the place is immaculate. The owner, Paolo, speaks fluent English since his mother is from Wales.

Buon viaggio,